SALAMANCA, N.Y. — Three non-Native residents facing eviction from the Seneca Nation Housing Authority’s Salamanca elderly housing complex will not have to leave after all following the controversial notification that their leases would not be renewed past May 31.
Mayor Michael Smith said on Monday that he learned of the development Friday.
“The magic number is down to five,” he added. “Three of the residents were grandfathered,” said the mayor, who was informed on Friday by Adrian Stevens, executive director of the Seneca Nation Housing Authority.
A week ago, 10 elderly residents — mostly women — some who had lived in their apartments at 44 Seneca St. for up to 30 years, were facing the loss of their lease following an audit last year by the Chicago Housing and Urban Development Office, which oversees Native American housing projects in this region.
The Seneca Housing Authority faced not only having to evict the longtime non-Native residents in the Salamanca elderly housing complex, but having to repay subsidies the authority had received from HUD.
“We are pleased that further discussions with HUD regarding its guidelines have resulted in a partial solution for the Seneca Housing Authority and some of our residents,” Seneca Nation officials said in a statement to the media. “We appreciate the work that Congressman Reed, Mayor Smith and others have done on this matter. The Seneca Nation will continue to work with HUD and others on an ultimate solution that provides our Housing Authority and our tenants needed clarity moving forward.”
The 10 residents had been under threat of eviction at the end of May since shortly after Thanksgiving.
Since last week, one person has moved to Hillview Manor, across from the Post Office, and another left public housing, Smith said.
“I commend the Seneca Nation Housing Authority and Adrian Stevens and thank Rep. Tom Reed for getting involved with HUD and the Seneca Nation,” Smith said. “We have hope.”
Reed, R-Corning, addressed the issue in a statement Friday.
“We have been in contact with the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding the potential eviction of 10 individuals from the Seneca Nation Housing Authority elderly housing complex,” Reed spokesman Samantha Cotten said in reply to a press inquiry. “Congressman Reed cares about making sure these individuals are taken care of. Our office and attorneys from the department are examining every possible avenue for those families to stay in their homes.”
Salamanca Alderman Timothy Flanigan, R-Ward 2, spoke briefly with Reed when he held a town meeting at the Humphrey Fire Hall on Feb. 11.
“He said he was working on it with the HUD office in Chicago,” Smith told the Times Herald on Monday.
Reed acknowledged the issue was raised at the Feb. 11 town hall, but that he had been aware of the HUD audit and had been looking into the matter for some time.
“It was raised to us in person,” Reed said in a conference call with reporters Monday afternoon. “We’ve been working with HUD on their audit. We’ve been making some headway early in the process.” Reed added that he expected “some common sense relief” to the issue so “those in the housing can stay there.” The issue of “reimbursement is also being addressed,” he said.
Last week, State Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, also urged HUD to relent in its pursuit of forcing the Seneca Nation Housing Authority to evict the non-Natives.
She said, “One of the women who is being evicted has lived in the complex for nearly 30 years and she is in her 90s. Another, who has already been forced out, had to give up her companion animal of 14 years, so she could secure a new place to live.”
“It is heartbreaking,” Young said.
She asked HUD to grandfather in the remaining 10 residents so that they can live out their years in the housing accommodations of their choice. “I also requested that the agency not impose harsh penalties on the Seneca Nation for housing these elderly individuals,” she said.
